Dispensing means for collapsible containers



Sept. 13, 1955 w. c. GIBSON DISPENSING MEANS FOR COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINERSFiled March 50, 1950 INVENTOR WALTER c. GIBSON ATTORNEY United StatesPatent DISPENSING MEANS FOR COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINERS Walter Craven Gibson,West Palm Beach, Fla.

Application March 30, 1950, Serial No. 152,767

1 Claim. (Cl. 222-92) This invention relates to dispensing means forcollapsible containers of the type ordinarily employed in packaging anddispensing tooth paste, shaving cream, lubricants and many other thickbut flowable materials.

Such containers or tubes are normally provided with a dispensingextension or attachment, or a reduced neck portion having restrictedapertures, through which contents of the container is dispensed bypressure applied to the container, and a removable closure cap forclosing the container when not in use. Among common faults of suchstructures are; the necessity of removing the caps for dispensing, andthe loss of the caps when separated from the container; the tendency ofthe container contents to ooze out under pressure thus causing wastebeyond the required quantity used; and the lack of provisions forreturning unused material to the container from the dispensing portionthereof.

It is an object of this invention to provide a dispensing arrangementfor collapsible and other containers that will permit the tube orcontainer to be opened for dispensing its contents without completeremoval of the cap, and render impossible loss of the cap in adispensing operation.

A further object is the provision of a structure which provides a doubleseal for the dispensing aperture or slot and which also functions toforce unused contents downwardly of the neck or nozzle into thecontainer to prevent drying.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentfrom the following specification and by reference to the accompanyingdrawing forming a part thereof, wherein Figure 1 is a view in elevationof the invention embodied in a collapsible dispensing tube, the capbeing shown in closed position.

Fig. 2 is a vertical axial plane section view of the structure of Fig.1, the cap being shown in open position.

Fig. 3 is an exploded view of an embodiment of the invention in form ofa tube attachment.

Having reference to the drawing 1 is the upper portion of a collapsiblecontainer which can be of any material suitable for the particular use,such as metal, plastics, foil or processed paper. At its upper ordispensing end, the container is restricted by upwardly and inwardlysloping wall 2 which joins the base of a dispensing extension or neck 3which is provided with an axial passage 4 therethrough into thecontainer. This passage is restricted in the upper portion of theextension 3, and is provided throughout the restricted portion withinternal screw threads 5 for accommodation of a cap presently to bedescribed. Adjacent and above the lower end of the screw threadedportion there is provided a lateral dispensing aperture or passage 6extending through the extension side wall so as to open into the axialpassage in the extension to receive and dispense material from thecontainer.

The closure cap 7 has a top flanged portion 8, a depending cylindricalskirt 9 with inwardly beveled lower edge 10, and a central dependingscrew threaded member 11 within and spaced from the skirt 9 so as toallow passage of the dispensing extension tube between the skirt and thescrew threaded member of the cap. Screw 11 is anchored at its upper endby embedding, or other suitable manner of fastening, to the cap top 8,and, in length, depends axially from the cap top at least substantiallycoextensive with the annular skirt 9, although it may, if desired,extend slightly below the skirt portion.

The cap is mounted on the extension by screw threaded engagement ofscrew 11 thereof within the upper internally threaded portion of theextension. The arrangement is such that clockwise rotation of the capcauses the screw to move downwardly through the passage in thedispensing extension until the lower end of the screw covers and sealsoff the dispensing slot 6, and, simultaneously, skirt 9 moves downwardlyaround the tapered outside surface of the extension until the lowerbeveled edge of the skirt covers and seals off dispensing slot 6 on theoutside of the extension. This provides an inner and outer double sealfor the dispensing aperture. For simultaneous closing and sealing, thecap screw is coextensive with the skirt. However, if desired the capscrew may be slightly longer than the skirt to effect earlier innerclosing and sealing. As the lower end of screw 11 passes over and belowdispensing passage 6, contents in the extension passageway are forceddownwardly of the passage toward the container. This forces all materialback toward the container with the small exception of that which mayremain in the dispensing slot within the boundaries of the inner andouter walls. However, this is double sealed and cannot dry, and is ofvery small volume.

From the closed position of the cap only a small counterclockwiseturning movement is necessary to free the passage from the container andthe dispensing passage for a dispensing operation. However, the longthreaded engagement of screw 11 in the extension obviates the necessityof cap removal and prevents loss.

In Fig. 3 there is illustrated a structure substantially as hereinbeforedescribed except that the restricted dispensing unit is illustrated as atube attachment.

The operation of the device has been made clear in the foregoingdescription. However, in a dispensing operation the cap is turned onlyslightly to open the passage and the dispensing aperture. After thedesired amount of contents of the container is dispensed, it is turnedback to its closed position, in which movement, contents in theextension are positively moved away from the dispensing aperture andforced rearwardly of the extension and to the container.

The foregoing describes a preferred embodiment of the invention but thewords employed are those of description rather than of limitation andmodifications of the structure are contemplated within the purview ofthe appended claim without departing from the true scope and spirit ofthe invention.

I claim:

A collapsible container, a tapered dispensing extension thereon havingan upwardly converging outer smooth wall surface and having aninternally threaded axial passage therethrough in communication with theinterior of the container and a lateral dispensing aperture through theside wall of the extension into said threaded passageway, and a caphaving an axially depending threaded member engaging the internal screwthreads of the extension and a depending cylindrical annular skirtsurrounding the outside of the extension and having a beveled innerlower edge, said cap being movable by a turning movement to close andopen said aperture on the inside and on the outside of the extensionwith the beveled inner edge portion of the skirt engaging the taperedsur- 3 thee extension at thepbi'nt of "and over said lateral dispensingaperture, said threaded memberserving to force material rearwardly insaid passageway inclosing said aperture.

References Cited in the file of -this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,310,821 Berkley Oct. 7, 1924 McCormack Jan. 6, 1925 Simpson Sept. 5,1933 Myers Oct. 24, 1933 Arnold Sept. 8, 1936 Fisher Jan. 10, 1939 PariNov. 7, 1939

